The Potential Harms of Human Gene Editing Using CRISPR-Cas9

First and foremost is the expectation of cures for blood disorders, lung diseases, cancers, and other maladies as clinician-scientists master various insertion, disruption, and deletion techniques. The Nuffield Council Genome Editing report affirms that "it is unlikely that, for the most part, therapies based on genome editing will raise distinctive issues for the handling of safety and efficacy considerations" ((6), p. 44). [...]in the discussion of genome editing in the context of biosecurity and dual use, the report confirms that "the UK research councils . . . recognise the possibility for misuse of research but express confidence in robust governance procedures for the research that they support and the applicability of existing regulatory frameworks" ((6), p. 103). In closing, while there is good reason to be enthusiastic about the prospect of developing safe and effective genetic treatments for persons with serious diseases, this enthusiasm must be tempered so as not to visit unnecessary harms on those who are invited to participate in research aimed at developing such therapies. [...]as progress is made in the realm of therapeutic somatic cell gene editing, we should be mindful of the implications for germ line gene editing and gene editing for enhancement purposes. First human embryosedited in U.S. MITTechnology Review; July 26, 2017. https://www.technolo gyreview.com/s/608350/first-human-embryos-editedin-us/?set=608352&utm_source=MIT+Technology+ Review&utm_campaign=0b6e65d565-The_Download& utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_997ed6f4720b6e65d565-154818457 (Accessed August 2017).